There's nothing quite like a soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie. My kids (and husband) are so used to me adding nutritious ingredients to baking--things like whole grain flour, chia seeds and oats--that they were slightly caught off guard when they taste-tested these delicious, decadent cookies. It reminded me to make sure they made it into the baking rotation more--one of my fondest food memories is enjoying similar cookies with glass of milk as an afternoon snack or after dinner.
As a Dietitian, it can be hard to switch off the "nutrition" part of my brain when it comes to feeding my kids (and myself), but it's so important. Food is more than just nutrients--it's also about enjoyment, connection, and love. I want my kids to appreciate a good, classic chocolate chip cookie, just as much as I want them to enjoy nutritious, healthy foods. Teaching moderation--that all foods can fit--is an important lesson and that will benefit their eating habits and relationship with food long term.
One of the best ways to teach about moderation is to sporadically offer dessert with a meal. For example, I might offer my kids one of these cookies with their dinner (instead of after), which takes the pressure off of eating all of the "healthy foods" to get to the dessert. Because the cookie would be competing with dinner foods, I would offer only one (when it's gone, there's no more) so that precious tummy space isn't filled with cookies. Have you ever tried this strategy??
Here are my one-bowl, deliciously decadent chocolate chip cookies:
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325F.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until well combined. Add the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt (mix them together first if you like) to the mixture and stir by hand until almost combined. Add chocolate chips and stir just until blended (you don't want to over-stir).
Drop spoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 8-10 minutes (you want them to appear slightly under-done - they turn out perfectly once they've cooled). Transfer to rack to cool before serving. Makes about 40 small cookies.
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